Keyboard switch



Dec. 6, 1960 Filed Nov. 14, 195'? S. CUTLER El' AL KEYBOARD SWITCH 2Sheets-Sheet 1 STANLEY CUT'LER s WALTER E. SANDERS.

INVENTORS.

HERZ/G l JESSUP,

ATTORNEYS) Dec- 6, 1950 v s. cU'rLER Erm- 2,963,564

KEYBOARD SWITCH Filed Nov. 14, 195? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 STANLEY CUTLER lWALTER El SANDERS, IN VEN TORS.

HERZ/G 8 JESSUR.

A TTORNEVS.

www?? nd Statesfa KEYBOARD swrrcH Stanley Cutler, Van Nuys, and WalterE. Sanders, North Hollywood, Calif., assgnors to Pacific MercuryTelevision Mfg. Corp., Sepulveda, Calif., a corporation of California lFiled Nov. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 696,343

15 Claims. (Cl. 20G-153) This invention rela-tes to improvements inelectrical switches, and particularly to keyboard switches adapted foruse with keyboard musical instruments. The invention is particularlyadapted as an electric organ key switch.

In electric keyboard musical instruments of the type wherein theinvention finds primary utility, there is ordinarily provided one ormore audio-frequency generators selectively controllable from thekeyboard of the instrument.

The switch of this invention is one having individual compactness andadapted for assembly in a compact organization of a group of similarswitches, such as would be operated by a group of keyboa-rd keys.

A primary object of the invention is yto provide an improved keyboardswitch characterized by simplicity of construction having few parts andpossessing the features of durability and uniformity in performance. K

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improvedkeyboard switch characterized by ka keyboard key having a stiifprojection extending directly therefrom forming a contact memberoperable between ilexible contact members in the form of resilientlymounted wires extending across a recess or opening through which thestii. projection extends.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved keyboardswitch characterized by akkey having a resilient contacting orconducting member extending directly therefrom operable adjacent to orbetween contacting members in the form of stii wires extending across arecess or opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide an im,- proved keyboardkey switch characterized in having a knife edge pivotal mounting formedby an upstanding fulcrum plate engaged in a notch formed in theunderside of the keyboard key, the key having a resilient mountingmember extending througha slot in the fulcrum plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly comprisingswitches as in the foregoing objects wherein the keys are biased by laspring attached directly to the stiff projection extending from anindividual key, the spring forming a part of the electrical circuity'extending through the switch. y

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved single poledouble-throw switch characterized as inthe foregoing objects.

Another object of they invention is toy provide an improved keyboardswitch characterized by a key having a flexible contact member extendingdirectly therefrom, the member being in the form of aresilient wireoperable ybetween contacting kmembers in the form of stiff wiresetxending across a recess or opening. y 7 Further objectsl and knumerousadvantages of the inventionwy will become apparentfrom the followingdetailed description and annexed drawings wherein: y

Fig. 1 is a side view of a part of akeyboard embodying improved switchesof this invention; p

ff" FigfZ isla partial end'view of thefsupporting Wallor i5 2,963,564Patented Dec. 6, 1960 ice 2 insulating panel on which the contactmembers and terminals are mounted; Y

Fig. 3 is a view of the opposite side of the insulating Wall orsupporting member of Fig. 2 showing the printed circuits and terminalson that side of the member;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 4--4 ofFig. l;

Fig. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating representatively thetone generatorcircuit in a musical instru.- ment in which the switchesof the invention-are adapted for use;

Fig. 6 is a detail View of a modified form of the invention wherein theconducting member or contactor at the end of the keyboard is slightlydifferent; n

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the modied construction shown inFig. 6; f

Fig. 8 is a partial view of one side of an insulating wall or supportingmember for contact members in a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an insulating wall or supporting memberfor contact members in a further modied form of the invention; Y

Fig. l0 is a detail View of a part of the indulating Wall of Fig. 9showing one pair of contacting members;

Fig. 1l is a detail sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of Fig.10; and y.

Fig. 12 is a cross-section on line 12-12 in Fig. l.

Referring now more in detail to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and-4 of the drawings,numeral 10 designates diagrammatically a base or platform forming a partof the cabinet upon' which the keyboard of a musical instrument ismounted. At the front of the platform 10 is an upstanding panel member 9which is rabbeted to the front of theplatform 10 as shown. Mounted onthe keyboard are a group or assembly of keys of which three are shown incrosssection in Fig. 4 numbered 11, 12 and 13. The keys have thecross-sectional shape shown in Figs. 4 and 12 and may be made of asuitable plastic composition.

The keyboard may be used in any type ofv eletcric organ.

The keys are pivotally or rockably mounted for up and down movement on amounting plate designated at 16 having portions as shown at 17 and 18attached to the platform 10 by means of screws, for example as shown at2,0. The intermediate portion of the plate 16 is raised up from theplatforrnll) by vertical portions 22 and 23. Attached tothe verticalportion 23 is a fulcrum plate 25 which is attached by a screw 26, asshown.. The key 11, representative of the other keys, has below it, atan intermediate point a fulcrum member or portion -29 which may beintegral with the key or formed as a separate part and attached to thekey. Formed in the member or portion 29 is a notch 31 which engages withthe upper edge of the fulcrum plate 25. Attached to the lower surface ofthe member or portion 29 is a mounting member 33 having certainresilience or springiness and which extends through a slot 34 near theupper edge of the fulcrum plate 25. The mounting plate 33 may beattached in any suitable manner such as by a screw y3 5. The extendingend of the mounting plate 33 is bent downwardly las shown at 36. Theslot 34 is spacedffrom the upper end of the fulcrum plate 25 so that theupper end of the plate engages in the notch 31 to provideforfthe keybeing fulcrumed on the fulcrum plate with the parts being attached byway of the mounting member 33 extending through the slot in the fulcrumplate. The tilting or up and down movement of the key 11 is limited bystop members in the form of stationary pliant stop means shown ,forexample as the resilient stop members in the form of felt strips 37 and38. Extending downwardlyfrom the key 11 is an angle bracket 39 attachedto the key' by screw as shown at l4i). At the lower end of the bracket39 is an angle portion 41 which operates between the stationary pliantstops 37 and 38. The stop 38 is attached as by being glued to the plate16 and the upper stop 37 is attached to an angle b racket 42 secured asby a screw as shown to a vertical portion 22 of the plate 16. The stopmembers 37 and 38 may be formed of felt, rubber, or any suitable pliant,soft material.

To restrain each key against lateral movement, the keys are made in theform of U-cross-section (Fig. 12), thereby providing an underside recess111. Projecting vupward into the recess 111 is a post 112 formed from aAplate 113 held between members 42 and 22. The upper end of 112 is bentforward to form a tab 114 over which is slipped a felt guide member 116,which forms a soft 'lining on each side of the tab against which thewalls of the recess 111 may rub. The felt 116 is formed of a short feltstrip sewed into a loop at 117. The tab 114 thus forms a guide memberrestraining the key against lateral deflection in its normal up and downmovement,

`The improved switch or switches of the invention are mounted at theright end of the keys and are actuated directly by members extendingfrom the ends of the keys. Referring to key 11 as shown in Fig. l, atits right end it has a portion 45 having a smaller vertical dimensionand the key has an integral portion 46 beneath the extending portion 45.The portion 45 also has an upstanding rib 49 as may be seen in the Viewof Fig. 7. The extending portion 45 of the elongate key 11 has attachedthereto a conducting member or contacting member in the form of a stiffprojection as shown at 50- which by way of example is a stiff or rigidwire having a crimp near its end portion as shown at 51.

The conducting member t) operates between contacting members as will bedescribed carried by a supporting member in the form of an insulatingwall as shown at 53 which will be described presently.

The stiff projection 50 is attached to the extending portion 45 of thekey 11 by way of a spring clip `55 which isshown in greater detail inthe view of Fig. 7. (The contacting means of Fig. 7 is otherwiseslightly different and will be described presently.)

kThe inner end of the stiff projection 50 has an angle portion 57 whichextends upwardly into an opening in the underside of the projectingportion 45. The upper part of the spring clip 55 is crimped as may beseen at 58 in Fig. 7 so as to clip over the rib 49 on the upper side ofthe projection 45. The lower part of the spring clip 55 is crimped orgrooved as may be seen at 60, to receive the stiff projection 50; theclip 55 being thus clipped over the extending portion 45 of the key soas to hold the stiff projection 50 in position.

The supporting member or insulating wall 53 is made of suitableinsulating material and it is mounted from the plate 16 by way of beingattached to a vertical portion 62 of plate 16v by a bolt or similarattaching element -63 having a split head as shown in Fig. l. Theinsulating wall 53 has a group or series of similar elongate recesses inthe form of openings 64 therein as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The stiffprojection extending from the key 11 extends through one of the recesses64 opposite the end of the key. The construction is the same forindividual keys so it will be described in detail for only one key.Numeral 65 designates a biasing spring which is attached at one end tothe stiff projection 50 by means of the end of the spring engaging inthe crimp 51 in the projection. The other end of the biasing spring 65is attached to a pin 66, as shown in Fig. 2, which extends through theinsulating wall 53 from an electrical terminal on the opposite side asshown at -67 in Fig. 3.

The stiff projection 50 itself forms a contact member and it cooperateswith contact members which are resiliently mounted on one side of theinsulating wall 5,3. The resiliently mounted contact members are shownas the relatively fine wires indicated at 68 and 69 in Fig. 2.

The adjacent ends of these contact members are bent at an angle as shownand extend obliquely across the recess 64 as shown with the stiffprojection `50 disposed between them. The ends of the contact members 68and 69 are connected or attached to pins as shown at 70 and 71 extendingthrough the insulating wall 53 and connecting to terminals formed ontbeother side of the wall as shown at 74 and 7'5 in Fig. 3. The contactingmembers 68 and 69 may be relatively tine wires possessing sufficientresiliency such that when they are engaged by the stiif projection 50good electrical contact is made and there is a wiping contact betweenthe parts. As will be observed, the assembly described forms a singlepole double-throw electrical switch.`

Fig. 5 illustrates diagramatically a circuit in a musical instrument inwhich the piano key switches of this invention may be utilized. Numeral73 designates a tone generator whose operation and/or operatingfrequency is controlled by the switches 5), which selectively insertelements 72, 76, 79 into the generator circuit to control theoscillation frequency.

The terminals on one side of the insulating wall 53 or terminal panel asshown in Fig. 3 may be formed by printed circuits as indicated at 77,the terminals themselves such as 74 and 75 being slightly raised fromthe surface of the insulating wall to facilitate electrical connectionsto the panel.

In the operation of one of the switches of this invention, when a keysuch as key 11 is depressed, the projection 50 moves upwardly in recess64 and will engage with and make contact with the resilient contactingmember 68. A circuit is thus completed through the biasing spring 65.Similarly when the key is released, it will rock in the oppositedirection with the projection 50 making contact with the contactingmember 59. The spring 65 biases the key and also forms a part of thecircuit through the single pole double-t-hrow switch.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will observe that there hasbeen provided a simple but effective contacting means formed by thestiff projection extending directly from the end of the keyboard key andoperating directly between the resilient contacting members formed bythe wires `68 and 69.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, a modied form' of theinvention is shown wherein a resilient contacting or conductingprojection extends from the key and cooperates with relatively stiffcontacting members mounted on the insulating wall. In Fig. 8, theinsulating wall or supporting member is shown at 80 having similarelongated recesses 64 as in the previous embodiment of the invention.The insulating wall of Fig. 8 has a group of circular recesses in theform of apertures 81 above the recess 64 as shown. Extending across therecess 81, Ithe construction being similar for each one, are a pair ofstiif contacting members formed by the relatively ne wires 84 and 85,the ends of which are bent at a right angle and extend through theinsulating wall 80, as shown in Fig. 6. The circuits on the other sideof the insulating wall are printed circuits as shown in the previousembodiment `and are indicated in outline as at 87. Raised electricalterminals are formed at the ends of the printed circuits at their endsas indicated by the numeral-88.

In this form of the invention, there is provided a resilient conductingor contacting member 92 formed as a wire, the end of which lies in thecrimped portion 58 at the upperrpant of the clip 55 and the end of thewire 92 may preferably be soldered to the clip. The stiff projection 50extends through the recess 64 as in the previous embodiment and isbiased by the spring 65. The resilient conducting member 92 extendsthrough the recess 81 bctween the contacting members 84 and 85, as shownin Figs. 6 and 8.

The voperation is similar to that of the previous embodiment.A When thekey 11 is tilted or rocked up and down,

the resilient contacting member 92 moves up and down and engages one orthe other of the contacting members 84 and 85 and due to its resiliencya good electrical'contact is made. Thus, Ithe assembly forms a singlepole doublethrow switch as in the previous embodiment. '111e circuit inthe present embodiment is through the spring 65, the

.stiff projection 50, the clip 55, the resilient conducting orcontacting member 92, and one or the other of the contact members 84 and85.

. Referring to Figs. 9, 10 and 11 of the drawings, these iigures show amodified form of the invention wherein the contacting members of theinsulating wall are slightly dilerent. In Fig. 9, the insulating wall isshown at 96 having recesses as shown at 81 as in the previous embodimentand elongated recesses as shown at 64. The contacting members are formedof relatively stiff Wires as indicated at 98 and 99 extendingsubstantially at right angles to each other on opposite sides of thewall 96 and crossing each other at a point near the lower or upper partof the recess 81 and the point of crossing being shown as near the upperpart of the recess 81 in connection with some of the recesses in Fig. 9.The ends of the crossed contacting members, that is, the wires 98 and99, extend `through the insulating wall 96 as shown, and one end of eachextends back through the insulating wall through apertures on oppositesides of the elongated recess 64 as shown at 100 and 101 in Fig. 10.

In Fig. 9, the central recess 81 has two pairs of crossed contactingwires associated with it. -In addition -to the crossed wires 98 and 99,there are an additional pair of crossed wires 103 and 104 which aresimilar except that ,their point of crossing is near the upper part ofthe recess 81 so that the contacting or conducting member 92 contactsand bridges a pair of wires both upon downward movement and upwardmovement.

The contacting or conducting means at the end of the key 11 in thepresent embodiment of the invention is the same as that of the previousembodiment, that is, that construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The stiffprojection 50 extends through the elongated recesses or slots 64 and thecontracting member 92 extends through the recess 81. As may be seen inFig. l0, when the key is tilted downwardly the contacting member 92 willcontact with the wires 98 and 99, bridging them to complete a circuitbetween them, they being on opposite sides of the insulating wall 96.Thus, depending on the manner of wiring, the conducting member 92 canbridge and complete a circuit between members 98 or 99, or on the otherhand the member- 92 can complete two circuits, one through member 98 andthe other through member k99 in the manner of a double `contact relay.Where two pairs of crossed wires forming contacting members are used,the contacting takes place both on the upward and downward movement ofthe contacting member 92.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will observe that theinvention provides a keyboard switch having simplicity, few partsand-durability of construction and also providing for ease offabrication and assembly. The contacting action is direct as between theextension from the keyboard key and the contacts mounted on theinsulating wall adjacent the ends of the keys. The pivotal 4mounting ofthe keys is simple but effective and contacting `ris/made dependable anduniform bym-the limitation of motion of the keys kbetween thepliant-stopmembers- While these switches have been described inconnection with keyboard keys, it will be readily apparent that many ofthe switch features have general application not necessarily associatedwith such keys.

Thus, while the instant invention has been shown and described herein inwhich is conceived -to be the most practical and preferred embodiments,it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scopeof the invention which is therefore not to be limited to the detailsdescribed herein but is to be accorded the full scope ofthe claims.

l. Pivotal mounting means for a keyboard key comprising, an elongatekey, a fulcrum plate extending trans- Versely beneath said key, meansforming a notch in an undersurface of said key Vparallel to said fulcrumplate, a slot in said fulcrum plate adjacent and parallelng the upperedge thereof, and a resilient mounting member mounted beneath said keyand extending into said slot, the distance from said edge to said slotbeing substantially the same as the distance from said notch to saidmounting member, said mounting member residing in said slot and saidnotch resting over said edge, thereby pivoting said key to the upperedge of said plate for back and forth pivoting motion.

2. Mounting means for a keyboard key comprising: an elongate key, meansfor pivotally mounting said key intermediate its ends, a stop membersecured to the underside of said key near the forward end thereof andhaving a projecting portion spaced vertically from said underside andextending parallel to said key, stationary pliant stop means securedabove and below said projecting portion to constitute stop limitingpivoting of said key, and resilient means for biasing lthe forward endof said key upward.

v 3. Switch comprising an insulating wall having an openingtherethrough, a rst conductor mounted' on one side of said wall and atleast partially spanning said opening, a second conductor mounted on theopposite side of said wall and at least partially spanning said openingin crossed relation to said first conductor, and a conducting memberdisposed in said opening and mounted for movement into and out ofengagement with said conductor. j

4.' Switch operated by a keyboard key comprising:

yan elongated key, means for pivotally mounting said key intermediateits end for up and down movement, an insulating wall mountedtransversely of said key adjacent one end of said key and having anopening therein,

`a contact member resiliently mounted to said Wall on one side thereofover the face of said opening, a conducting member extending from saidkey and into said opening in position to be selectively engaged anddisengaged by said contact member upon pivotal movement of said key, atension spring engaged with said'conducting member and biasing therearward end of said key downward, printed conducting circuits on theside of said wall opposite to that of said contact member, and electricterminals extending through said wall and electrically connected on oneside to said contact member and spring respectively, vand Von the otherside to said printed conducting circuits.

5. Switch means operated by a keyboard key comprising: an elongate key,means for pivotaaly mounting said key intermediate its ends for up anddown movement, an insulating wall mounted transversely of said keyadjacent one end of said key and having an opening therein, a contactmember spanning said opening, a conducting member extending from saidkey and into said opening in position to selectively engage anddisengage said contact member upon up and down movement of said key,said Wall being provided with a second opening therein positionedvertically with respect to said first-mentioned opening, said key havinga relatively stii projection extending through said second opening, aspring engaging said prop jection for biasing the rear end of said keydownward, and a resilient clip snapped over the end of said key and vanddisengage said contact member upon up and down movement of said key,said wall being provided with a second opening therein positionedvertically with respect to said rst mentioned opening, said key having arelatively sti projection extending through said second opening, aspring engaging said projection for biasing the rear end of said keydownward, and a resilient clip snapped over the end of said key andaiding in the securement of said projection and said conducting memberto said key and also providing a conducting path between said conductingmember and said projection, and a second contact wire spanning said rstmentioned opening and engageable by said conducting member.

7. Switch means operated by a keyboard key comprising: an elongate key,means for pivotally mounting said key intermediate its end for up anddown movement, an insulating wall mounted transversely of said keyadjacent one end thereof and having an opening passing therethrough, apair of crossed wires disposed on opposite sides of said wall andspanning said opening, a conducting member extending from said key andthrough said opening in position to selectively engage and disengagesaid wires, the crossing line of said wires lying in the -path of up anddown movement of said conducting member, a projection extending fromsaid key, a biasing spring engaging said projection for biasing the rearend of said key downward, and a resilient clip snapped over the end ofsaid key and aiding in the securement of said projection and saidconducting member to said key and also providing a conducting pathbetween said conducting member and said projection.

8. Mounting means for a keyboard key comprising: an elongate key, meansfor pivotally mounting said key intermediate its ends, a stop membersecured to the under side of said key near the forward end thereof andhaving a projecting portion spaced vertically from said under side andextending parallel to said key, stationary pliant stop means securedabove and below said projecting portion to constitute stops limitingpivoting of said key, resilient means for biasing the forward end ofsaid key upward, means forming a recess in the under surface of said keyspaced from said pivotal mounting, and a guide member disposed in saidrecess and covered at its sides by soft material serving as a lateralguide for said key during up and down movement thereof.

9. Pivotal mounting means for a keyboard key comprising: an elongatekey, a fulcrum plate extending transversely of said key, means forming atransverse notch in said key parallel to said fulcrum plate, a slot insaid fulcrum plate adjacent and paralleling the edge thereof,

Vand a resilient mounting member mounted to said key and extending intosaid slot, said mounting member residing in said slot and said notchresting against said edge, thereby pivoting said key to the edge of saidplate for back and forth pivoting motion.

10. Pivotal mounting means for a keyboard key cornprising: a irst memberin the form of an elongate key, 'a second member in the form of a base,a fulcrum plate secured to one of said members and extendingtransversely of said key, means forming a notch in a surface of theother of said members and facing said one member, said notch parallelingsaid fulcrum plate, a slot in said fulcrum plate adjacent andparalleling the edge of 8 said fulcrum plate, and a resilient mountingmember secured to said other of said members and extending into saidslot, said mounting member residing in said slot and said notch restingagainst said edge, thereby mounting said keyv for back and forthpivoting about the edge of said plate.

11. Switch means operated by a keyboard and comprising an elongate key,means for mounting said key intermediate its ends for oscillatingmovement, a support member mounted adjacent one end of said key andhaving a recess therein, a contact member mounted over a face of saidrecess, a conducting member extending from said key and into said recessin position to selectively engage and disengage said contact member uponoscillation of said key, and means for biasing said key in a givendirection.

12. Switch means operated by a keyboard key cornprising: an elongatekey, means for mounting said key intermediate its ends for oscillatingmovement, an insulating wall mounted adjacent one end of said key andhaving an opening passing therethrough, a contact member mounted over aface of said opening, a conducting member extending from said key andthrough said opening in position to selectively engage and disengagesaid contact member upon oscillation of said key, and means for biasingsaid key in a given direction.

13. Switch means operated by a keyboard key comprising: an elongate key,means for mounting said key intermediate its ends for oscillatingmovement, support means mounted adjacent one end of said key and havinga recess therein, a contact member mounted over a face of said recess, aconducting member extending from said key and into said recess inposition to selectively engage and disengage said contact member uponpivoting of said key, one of said members being resilient, and means forbiasing said key in a given direction.

14. Switch means operated by a keyboard key comprising an elongate key,means for mounting said key intermediate its ends for oscillatingmovement, support means mounted adjacent one end of said key and havinga recess therein, a contact member mounted over a face of said recess, aconducting member extending from said key and into said recess inposition to selectively engage and disengage said contact member uponoscillation of said key, and a resilient clip snapped over the end ofsaid key and serving to at least partially secure said conducting memberto said key.

15. Switch operated by a keyboard key comprising an elongate key, meansfor pivotally mounting said key intermediate its ends for up and downmovement, an insulating wall mounted transversely of said key adjacentone end of said key and having an opening therein, a wire mounted over aface of said opening, a conducting member extending from said key andinto said opening in position to be selectively engaged and disengagedby said wire upon pivotal movement of said key, and a tension springengaged to said conducting member and biasing the rearward end of saidkey downward.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

